Delegates Handbook

3.4 Organising women and
indigenous workers
Sixty two percent of the PSA
membership is female.
Women workers
The PSA has particular structures to promote women’s
issues and encourage women members to be actively
involved in the union. As a delegate, you should make
women members in your workplace aware of this.
Women’s Contact Officer (WCO)
The WCO is a major point of contact for union information
on issues of relevance to women members. The WCO
brings women’s issues to the workplace group meeting.
They are elected by their workplace group and can set up
women’s networks in the workplace.
A female delegate can also be a WCO.
Women’s Council
Women’s Council consists of all the women members of
the PSA.
The Women’s Council (i.e. women members) then elect
a committee of management every two years.
This committee is a forum for discussing issues of concern
to women across the membership and developing
policies and campaigns around these issues.
You are encouraged to raise issues of concern to your
Women’s Council Committee member. Contact the
PSA’s Gender and Equity Analyst 1300 772 679 if you are
unsure who that is in your area.
Women’s Conference
The annual PSA Women’s Conference is held in the
first half of September each year. It is a forum that
provides an opportunity for women members to hear
expert speakers on topics of interest and to improve
their knowledge and skills in particular areas. It is
also an excellent networking arena. The conference
is advertised in Red Tape and on the PSA website. All
women members are eligible to attend. Some places
are reserved for first time attendees.
Gender and Equity Analyst
The Gender and Equity Analyst undertakes research
on gender and equity issues, writes Women@Work,
develops policy on women’s industrial matters in
conjunction with Women’s Council Committee;
promotes women’s issues in the workplace as well as the
broader community through submissions and working
collaboratively with other organisations.
22 | Delegates Handbook